I stand my ground, hoping for a miracle. Praying my boys make it out of this alive.
“Cover your eyes,” I tell them, because I do not wish for them to see me die.
Or take a life.
The feral woman takes one step towards me, then another. Her lip curls up in a sneer. She reminds me of a hyena from The Lion King. Crazed and predatory, lacking in intelligence.
“He’s mine!” she screams, lounging at me with her blade outstretched.
I bring the sword down, piercing her shoulder.
Her eyes grow round with shock as her knife falls to the floor.
I pull the blade out. I want to apologize, but I don’t know how. She grabs her shoulder, her face contorting in outrage. Then she lunges for me again, one hand outstretched.
And because I have no choice, I bring the blade down, piercing her gut.
ChapterThirteen
WHY HER?
TRENT
I’m soaked when I finally make it back to the shitty hotel. Suki will like the way my undershirt clings to me, and I’ll make a show of stretching when I take it off.
But as soon as I step out of the stairwell, a piercing wail echoes. I tear down the hall to the room where Suki and her kids await.
There’s no way the dead got into the building, which means one of two things: there’s been an accident or there’s another person in the building, threatening Suki.
I don’t know which I dread more.
Weapon drawn, I sail into the room, ready to raise hell, but what I find jars me to madness.
No fucking way…
Susan lunges forward, hand outstretched, running straight into Suki’s sword.
Fiery rage courses through my body at the thought of Suki being harmed. I’ve all but lost my mind. I’d burn the goddamn world if I could. I’d fucking rip the stars out of the goddamn sky.
This is my fault. How could I let this happen? Right in front of the kids.
Hyun and Duri scream as Susan slumps to her knees, blood spurting from her mouth.
There’s no taking this back. I led Susan straight to them, and now they have to live with this.
I rush forward, grab Susan under her armpits, and drag her away, into the hall.
She’s gasping for breath, choking up blood. With the wound in her stomach coupled with the one in her gut, it’s unlikely she’ll survive. I could call it in to the Keep, but it’s doubtful they would want to help someone like Susan, and honestly—fuck her.
I don’t care if she’s a fucking woman. If anyone attacks Suki or her kids, I’ll fucking kill them myself. I’ll fucking do it with my bare hands, then drink their blood from their fucking skulls.
I realize how bonkers that sounds, but I’m a goddamn savage around this little family. Until they’re safe within the Keep, they’remyresponsibility.
“Trennnt…”Susan gasps, her eyes wild with fear.
“What the fuck were you thinking?” I grind out without even a hint of warmth for her dying gaze.
Is it sick of me for wanting to punch the lights out of a dying woman? Yes—I fucking own that.